Hayfever sufferers in for a difficult day - here’s how you can get some relief

Published:10:26Tuesday 21 June 2016

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Hayfever sufferers across the UK could be in for a difficult day today, as the Met Office forecasts ‘very high’ pollen levels across much of the country.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be hit the worst, with pollen at the highest level today, while central and southern parts of Scotland will fare only marginally better, with pollen levels rated high.

One in five people in the UK suffer from Hayfever, with 95 per cent of sufferers allergic to grass pollen. May to July are peak season for grass pollen, while weed pollen also starts to peak toward the end of June.

Today (Tuesday) is expected to be the worst day for most of the country, with levels fluctuating for the rest of the week but not expected to reach the heights predicted today.

If you suffer from hayfever, the Met Office offers this advice to relieve symptoms:

*Keep windows closed when at home and overnight. Most pollen is released in the early morning and falls to ground level in the evenings when the air cools.

*When outdoors, wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes. Hay fever sufferers can experience itchy eyes when coming into contact with pollen spores. It is recommended that for any outdoor tasks, such as gardening, hay fever sufferers should wear a mask.

*Avoid drying your clothes outside when pollen counts are high. If you do, shake items before bringing them inside.

*Keep car windows closed when driving and fit a pollen filter to reduce the impact of pollen spores.

When indoors, there are a number of useful tips to reduce the impact of hay fever symptoms such as:

*Vacuuming regularly, avoid bringing fresh flowers indoors, and be aware that pets can bring pollen in on their fur.

*Don’t allow smoking in the house as this will irritate the lining of your nose, eyes, throat and airways, making your hay fever symptoms worse.